PHOENIX, Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Still deciding what your pet should be for Halloween? If you’re among the estimated 29 million people planning to dress up their pets this year, pumpkins, hot dogs and superheroes are among the most popular costume choices.
New survey results by the National Retail Federation has cats and bumblebees rounding out the top five most popular pet costumes for Halloween 2020. The results show that 10 percent of pet lovers will dress their animal in a pumpkin costume, while six percent will dress their cat or dog as a hot dog, five percent as a superhero, and three percent of dogs will go as a cat.
Fortunately, PetSmart is ready to help pet parents embrace this year’s trends, with a variety of pumpkin, hot dog and superhero costumes for dogs and cats, and a cat costume for dogs.
Keep it fun, keep it safe
Halloween may look a little different this year as people adjust their celebrations, but having a fun and safe time with your pet is completely possible, says Dr. Jennifer Freeman, DVM, PetSmart’s resident veterinarian and pet care expert.
“If you choose to celebrate Halloween by dressing up your pet this year, it’s important to carefully introduce costumes to your pet so they don’t get stressed,” said Freeman. “Begin by using simple accessories like a bandana instead of a full-fledged outfit. If they allow something simple, reward them with a treat and some praise, then gradually introduce additional costume items to put your pet at ease.”
She added that costumes should always allow full free movement so pets can walk, bark, meow, eat and drink without difficulty. Also, it’s important to ensure there aren’t any attached or accompanying accessories that are easy to chew and/or swallow.
Finally, it’s also a good idea to consider things like the weather. Because pets can overheat easily, make sure their clothing is not too bulky or heavy if the weather is warm. Watch for elastic features around the paw area and be certain there is enough room around the widest area of the chest. If a dog can easily trip over the legs, try another type of costume. If your pet looks uncomfortable, they probably are, so pay extra attention to your pet if/when around other pets as it can be difficult to notice any discomfort if they’re wearing a costume.
For more information, including PetSmart’s full Halloween collection, visit petsmart.com/halloween.
About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. PetSmart employs approximately 55,000 associates and operates more than 1,600 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart Pets Hotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. The retailer provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption. PetSmart, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada work with more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 8 million adoptions, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.
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SOURCE PetSmart